Bremont supports team to pilot flight in restored DC-3 Dakota from England to India

Aviation is in Bremont’s DNA, so the opportunity to play a part in the preservation of military flying heritage is not to be missed. In a year in which military aviation is being commemorated through the RAF centenary, Bremont is pleased to be supporting a team of pilots as they fly a vintage Douglas DC-3 Dakota aircraft from Coventry to Delhi. The arrival of the aircraft will help to celebrate and communicate the heritage and relationship between the RAF and the IAF over the years.

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The Dakota, which played a crucial role in the 1947 India-Pakistan War carrying troops and supplies, will join a vintage restored Tiger Moth and Harvard at the Hindon Air base in India. The aircraft, which was acquired as scrap, has been restored over 6 years by pilot Alex Woodeson and his team at Reflight and will become a proud possession of the Indian Air Force.

The DC-3 has been stationed at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire and received an official launch on the 12th April from the Indian High Commissioner and UK Defence and Air Attache.

The aircraft, Christened ‘Parashurama’ and with tail number VP905, was acquired by MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar with the aim of gifting it to the Indian Air Force Vintage Flight. It has been offered as a permanent way to honor the men and women of the IAF past and present. The DC3 was presented to IAF on behalf of his father Air Cmdr. (retd) M K Chandrasekhar who himself was a DC-3 Dakota pilot.

"It's and old aircraft and it’s a long way, I am sure that we will face some technical problems. One of the biggest issues is arranging specific fuel and oil along the route as she uses a lot compared to modern aircraft. It should be an amazing adventure with some great views along the way, but we need to plan to be self-sufficient. We are looking forward to whatever is thrown at us along the way, you don’t get to do something like this everyday!"

Alex, wearing a Bremont MBII on the trip, will be accompanied by 4 pilots, including two from the IAF, as they make the adventurous journey which will see them stop in 8 countries over 10 days including France, Italy, Greece, Jordan, Saudi, Bahrain, Oman before going onto India. The journey is not as straightforward as it seems, Alex explains "It's and old aircraft and it’s a long way, I am sure that we will face some technical problems. One of the biggest issues is arranging specific fuel and oil along the route as she uses a lot compared to modern aircraft. It should be an amazing adventure with some great views along the way, but we need to plan to be self-sufficient. We are looking forward to whatever is thrown at us along the way, you don’t get to do something like this everyday!"

The team took flight on Tuesday 17th April. Follow their journey and find out more on social media…

For the first time in its history, Bremont will auction one of the special U.S military collaboration watches, the F-15 “Eagle Driver”, to raise money for the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association.